Creating diamonds - from Tequila!

London, June 19 : Researchers at the University of Nueva Leon near Monterrey in Mexico have discovered a new way to make a type of synthetic diamond - Tequila.

They found that when the potent Mexican spirit is heated under pressure, it produces diamond structures, which are able to conduct electricity.

The crystals, used to make diamond film, have previously been made from a number of different chemicals, often including nitrogen.

However, the experiment is believed to be the first time that researchers have proved that any type of alcohol can be used to produce synthetic diamond.

Diamond film is tougher than silicon, so it could be useful for devices that must operate at high temperatures or under other harsh conditions.

However, diamond films are expensive and difficult to make.

Now, researchers from Mexico have shown that the crystals can be created by heating the country's national drink.

For the experiment, the researchers heated 80 per cent proof 'tequila blanco', which has a short aging process and is bottled soon after distillation, in a low-pressure chamber.

The drink formed into crystals which tests later confirmed had a diamond structure and were able to conduct electricity.

"Some kinds of tequila seem naturally to have the right mix of atoms (to create diamond)," the Telegraph quoted lead author Javier Morales, as saying.

However, he said that more study is required to determine if using the drink could prove as faster or as more reliable to use than current raw materials used by industry.

Experts think that the use of alcohol to create diamond could have potential.

"The result is certainly funny, but the process seems reasonable. I don't know of any previous attempts to make diamonds from drinks," Rudolf Pfeiffer, professor of Physics from the University of Vienna in Austria, said.

ANI